In a prior process for slicing and packaging smaller sized slices of luncheon meat, e.g. slices on the order of 1.75 inches in diameter and 0.120 inch in thickness, the luncheon meat is sliced into a stack that is then manually placed into a package. More particularly, the package includes a multi-compartment tray, and the worker grabs a stack of slices off of a conveyor for placement into a particular one of the tray compartments.
A problem with the above-described system and method is in forming the stacks of meat slices. Currently, an initial meat slice is cut from a log of the luncheon meat product with the cut slice free-falling onto the conveyor surface. Subsequent slices similarly undergo a free-falling action for landing in a stack one on top of the other until the desired number of slices in the stack has been achieved. Thereafter, the stack of slices is advanced downstream by the conveyor to the insertion station where they are manually placed into the tray compartments, as described above. It has been found that it requires very precise control over the process parameters in order for the stacks to develop in a well-defined manner with the above-described process.
More specifically, the logs are fed toward a cutting blade that has its cutting faces substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the meat log with the elongate logs being fed to the blade on a slight downward incline. The blade cutting faces can be configured to direct the cut slices in the preferred manner. In this regard, the slices cut from the end of the log need to undergo a reorientation as they free-fall and come to rest on the conveyor surface or another slice in the stack from their orientation when part of a log. Of course, this renders precise control over these slices extremely difficult and generally produces misshapen stacks such as those having accordion shapes where the individual adjacent slices in the stack are offset from one another in the lateral direction, skewed stacks, tipped over stacks, as well as other slice defects. Where workers observe that the frequency of the misshapen, or tipped over stacks are increasing, the line has to be shutdown so that the process parameters causing the stacking problem can be identified and corrected. Such parameters include temperature of the meat, sharpness of the cutting blade, equipment setup, and the like. As is apparent, this type of line shutdown reduces slice yield, lowers throughput and decreases worker productivity. Moreover, misshapen stacks can also cause efficiency problems in terms of the speed at which a worker can manually place a stack into the package compartment and can create a less than desirable presentation in the packages due to the presence of sloppy stacks therein.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for placing sliced food stacks, i.e. sliced luncheon meat, into packages that limits the need for manual handling of the stacks of luncheon meat slices. Further, a system and method for slicing meat into stacks and placing the stacks of sliced meat in packages is needed that can increase worker productivity and generate faster throughput.